Method, system, and devices for joint handling of at least two users over one logical radio connection

ABSTRACT

A method and system handles at least one connection to at least one terminal in an access network. The access network includes a radio interface and at least one router. A link layer address is assigned to the at least one terminal, and a cell-specific radio link identifier is used at the radio interface for identifying a radio link to the router. An identifier for identifying the terminal or terminals preferably includes an RLI field for identifying the radio link, and a LLA Mapping field for identifying the terminal.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method, system, and devices for connecting multiple mobile terminals into a wireless or cellular network through a mobile router or server such as a bus or train.

FIG. 1 shows a basic example of such a structure. A bus or train 20 serves as a mobile router and carries router equipment and at least one antenna 21 for providing communication between one two or more external base (transceiver) stations BTS1, BTS2 and mobile equipments or terminals of passengers traveling in the bus or train 20.

The invention relates in particular but not exclusively to the mapping of multiple user-plane connections that move together over one physical and logical radio connection.

In case a system should consist of one or more central servers, one or more mobile servers (typically installed in a public transportation vehicle such as a train or a bus), and terminals, the terminals may access local content on the mobile server over a fast wireless connection (typically Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN) which mobile server provides a slower shared connection via some wide-area cellular access (Personal Handyphone System, PHS; General Packet Radio Service, GPRS; or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA). The connections may be tunneled over multiple GPRS and WLAN connections. Mobile terminals thus access outside world through the mobile server. This may be realized by running proxies in the mobile server, causing the mobile terminal connections to terminate in the mobile server. In public internet Internet Protocol version4, IPv4, terminals are visible with the proxy/Network Address Translation, NAT, address of the mobile server. In Internet Protocol version6, IPv6, the terminals may appear with their own addresses.

It might be considered to terminate terminal connections (U-plane and C-plane) in the mobile router which would require address transformation and tunneling means to pass the data from multiple terminals into a base station. The benefit would be that only a single link is required.

It might also be considered to form a separate connection for each terminal through the mobile router. This would provide an independent link for each terminal, but as the server moves, each connection would have to be handed over from base station to base station separately, providing little benefit, apart from some range and power-saving enhancement, over each terminal connecting separately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a system, method, radio link identifier, radio access network, and router, such as defined in the claims or described below.

By means of the invention, each terminal can maintain a unique Link Layer Address, LLA, which maps directly to a care-of-address, attaching directly to the network IP address. No separate termination or address transformation is required. The LLA does not need to be changed when the terminal accesses or leaves the mobile router coverage area.

For treatment over the link from mobile router to base station, the invention allows common signalling for radio link control, greatly reducing the signalling load compared to having separate connections for each terminal. For the user plane data flow each connection is still treated separately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a basic example of such a structure using a mobile router,

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a mapping between radio link identifier, RLI; LLA Mapping, LM; and Link Layer Address, LLA, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 shows an example of RLI binding together of LLAs,

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a system in accordance with the invention wherein LLA, RLI, LM allocation and mapping over the radio interface are illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with at least one or all embodiments of the invention, a Link Layer Address, LLA, is defined which is an interface identifier to enable forwarding of packets within a subnet prefix in IP networks. The subnet or last hop networks can utilize any access medium technology with LLA serving as a unique link identifier in an access network such as a fourth generation, 4G, access network for the last hop router to uniquely identify the node for forwarding the packet in the downlink, DL, direction. The LLA may also be used in the trailing e.g. 64 bit portion of an 128 bit IPv6 address formed by the mobile host. The first part of the IPv6 address is the network prefix advertised by the access router, AR, over that link interface. The LLA in 4G can also be used in the same context as the LLA defined in IPv6. This approach ensures compatibility of all IPv6 functions in the fourth Generation Access Network, 4GAN.

A Care of Address, CoA, is an IP address by which a mobile station of the fourth generation, 4G MS, is identified in the 4GAN. CoA can be configured in a stateless way by combining the network prefix advertised by the AR and appending a 64-bit LLA. CoA is a globally routable address i.e. CoA can be used for mobility binding to the home network and other correspondent nodes to declare the exact location of the mobile terminal. When the terminal moves from one AR to another, the CoA changes.

For the radio interface a separate mapping is adopted. The scope of LLA is rather large, making the identifier long and thus cumbersome to be used for identifying every message on the radio interface. A cell-specific radio link identifier, RLI, is introduced. To better support the mobile router scenario, a two-part identifier consisting of RLI and a separate LLA Mapping, LM, fields is proposed to be used in at least one, some or all, of the embodiments.

An example mapping of RLI, LM and LLA is shown in FIG. 2. RLI1 corresponds to, and identifies, a mobile router, which serves three mobile terminals. These terminals get LLA mapping identifiers LM0, LM1 and LM2 which are different from each other so as to distinguish therebetween. Each terminal has its own LLA (LLA1, LLA2 and LLA3), which are used by upper layers to identify the terminal and route user-plane traffic. Radio link identifiers RLI2 and RLI3 identify individual terminals connecting to the same network. Each of these terminals has its own LLA (LLA4, LLA5) and the LLA mapping identifiers, that is the LM field has value zero, LM0. The zero value of the LM field indicates that only one terminal each is assigned to the Radio link identifiers RLI2, RLI3.

The benefit in this arrangement is that for all radio link control operations only the RLI can be used. The LMs can be disregarded for these radio link control operations. E.g. power control and capacity allocation for the radio link can be based on the RLI only. All handover measurements and pre-processing also need to be done only for the RLI. Only one new identifier, the RLI, needs to be allocated by the new base station BTS at handover. The LM values and fields are never used alone without the RLI, and therefore if the RLI is unique in the new BTS then all LM-values can be used as they are.

This arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 3 which illustrates the RLI binding together of the LLA:s. The terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 are bound to the LLAs LLA1, LLA2, LLA3, LLA4, via the same RLI and the indivual LM1, LM2, LM3, LM4. For the actual handover, also the mapping of the LM:s to the LLAs is preferably signalled to the new BTS.

The RLI is preferably allocated by the base station. A possible method is to start the RLI value from zero, and allocate new RLIs in ascending order. When connections are terminated, the resulting gaps in the sequence of allocated RLIs may be filled by re-allocating the now unused RLIs to new terminals.

In case of a moving router this RLI+LM combination brings the important benefit that when moving into the coverage area of a new base station, only the RLI needs to be re-allocated by the new BTS, and the LM can stay the same.

There is a further advantageous aspect towards RLI allocation. If the radio interface (and frequency) between the router and terminals is the same as the one used between the router and base station, then some part of RLI:s allocated by the router to the terminals camped under the router can preferably be permanently assigned for that mobile router. Such permanent assigning avoids any confusion which might otherwise result if the same RLI were allocated by both a base station and a mobile router for the same coverage area.

The system can also form the LM part based on any suitable algorithm. There are no specific rules to be respected apart from ensuring that the same mapping is understood by both the base station and the router. The generation of the LM part can, as an advantageous example, start from zero and be allocated in ascending order. Gaps occurring when terminals should leave the coverage of the base station or terminate the connections, may be re-used. According to one of the alternative embodiments of the invention, the assigned LM:s form a contiguous block in the number space. This implementation is advantageous for the signalling of the LM mapping to LLA:s, to a new base station in the network.

For user plane transmissions also the LM value is indicated to the new BTS at handover, to keep the terminal data flows separate, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a system for handling at least one connection to at least one terminal 1 to 4 in a radio access network, RAN, 16. The radio access network 16 includes at least one base station 8, at least one radio interface 14, or 15, and at least one router 5 equipped with means 5 a to connect to at least one of the terminals 1 to 4. The radio interface 14 is provided between the router 5 and the terminal(s) 1 to 4. The radio interface 15 is provided between the base station 8 and the router 5.

FIG. 4 illustrates LLA, RLI, LM allocation and mapping over the radio interface 15 and/or 14. Also in this case significant savings on the air interface can be obtained. In particular, if data destined for several terminals under the same router is packaged together, the RLI is sent only once while tagging the terminal-specific data with the different LM identifiers.

The LLA is preferably allocated by an entity in the IP network such as LLA manager 9. RLI and LM are allocated by the BTS such as base station 8. In this example embodiment RLI is cell-specific, but also other allocation strategies and scopes can be used.

A link layer address, LLA, is assigned to the at least one terminal, and a cell-specific radio link identifier, RLI, is used at the radio interface 14 or 15 for identifying a radio link to the router 5.

When a new terminal 1, 2, 3, or 4 attaches to mobile router 5, the mobile router 5 sends an LLA ASSIGNMENT REQUEST message to base station BTS 8, including an RLI 12 that has already been allocated to the mobile router 5. The base station 8 forwards the request to LLA Manager 9, which returns a new LLA 10 to the base station 8. As the RLI 12 for this mobile router 5 has already been allocated, the base station 8 returns the new LLA 10, the old RLI 12 and a new LM 13 (such as the first available LM value). An LLA ASSIGNMENT CONFIRM message conveys the new identifiers LLA 10, LM 13 to the mobile router 5, which communicates with the new terminal. At least one, or all, of the base station 8, the mobile router 5, and the LLA manager 9 include a table wherein the mapping of LLAs, RLIs, and LMs to the terminals and routers are listed. By checking the table the proper terminal, router etc can be found.

The base station 8 and the mobile router 5 communicate with each other using control plane, C-plane, 6, and user plane, U-plane, 7. For the C-plane 6, only the RLI is to be transmitted for identifying the radio link. For the U-plane 7, the RLI and the LM values are transmitted for identifying the link and the terminal.

The network architecture and nodes allocating the identifiers shown in the drawings are only presented as an example, and many other implementations are possible in different architectures. Some implementation alternatives will be described below.

The radio technology used for the connection between the terminals and the mobile router can either be the same as the connection from the mobile router to the BTS or it can be different. This has no influence on the invention as such, but may impact the complexity of the router, its deviation from present-day router technology and the radio resource management algorithmic distribution of the network.

The allocation scheme can be used for one of, or both terminals and networks, such as 4G terminals and networks.

The invention provides link layer means of connecting multiple subscriber terminals over a (mobile) router for example in future cellular (4G) access networks.

According to a standalone implementation, or part of embodiments of the invention, a radio link identifier is split into two parts. The first part identifies the logical connection between the base station and the terminal or router, allowing joint management of all connections connecting through the same router. The second part identifies the mapping to a user plane link address, separating each terminal. 

1. A method for handling at least one connection to at least one terminal in a radio access network, said radio access network including a radio interface and at least one router connectable to the at least one terminal, the method comprising: assigning a link layer address (LLA) to at least one terminal; and using a cell-specific radio link identifier at a radio interface for identifying a radio link to a router connectable to the at least one terminal.
 2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising using an identifier for identifying the at least one terminal, wherein said identifier comprises an RLI field for identifying the radio link, and a LLA Mapping (LM) field for identifying the at least one terminal.
 3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the router comprises a mobile router.
 4. Method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a table wherein a mapping of LLAs, RLIs, and LMs to terminals and routers are listed, and wherein the table is checked for finding identifiers of the at least one terminal or the router.
 5. Method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying control plane traffic between a base station of a radio access network and the router using said radio link identifier, and identifying user plane traffic between the base station and the router using RLI and LM identifiers.
 6. A system for handling at least one connection to at least one terminal in a radio access network, said radio access network including a radio interface and at least one router equipped with means to connect to the at least one terminal, wherein a link layer address (LLA) is assigned to the at least one terminal, wherein a cell-specific radio link identifier (RLI) is provided at the at least one radio interface for identifying a radio link to the at least one router.
 7. System according to claim 6, wherein a two-part identifier is provided for identifying the at least one terminal wherein said identifier includes an RLI field for identifying the radio link, and a LLA Mapping (LM) field for identifying the at least one terminal.
 8. System according to claim 6, wherein the router comprises a mobile router.
 9. System according to claim 6, wherein a table is provided wherein a mapping of LLAs, RLIs, and LMs to terminals and routers are listed, and wherein the system is configured to check the table for finding identifiers of the at least one terminal or the at least one router.
 10. System according to claim 6, wherein the system is configured to identify control plane traffic between a base station of said radio access network and the at least one router using said RLI, and to identify user plane traffic between the base station and the at least one router using RLI and LM identifiers.
 11. Link layer means of connecting multiple subscriber terminals over a router in cellular access networks, wherein a two-part identifier is used for identifying the terminals, wherein said identifier comprises a radio link identifier field for identifying a radio link, and a link layer address mapping field for identifying a terminal.
 12. A radio link identifier comprising: a first part to identify a logical connection between a base station and a terminal or router, and to allow joint management of all connections connecting through the router; and a second part to identify mapping to a user plane link address, wherein said connections are separating each terminal.
 13. A radio access network including at least one base station and at least one router, wherein an identifier is used for identifying at least one terminal connected to the radio access network, wherein said identifier comprises a radio link identifier field for identifying a radio link between the at least one base station and the at least one router, and a link layer address mapping field for identifying the at least one terminal.
 14. A router for routing data between at least one terminal and a base station, wherein the router is configured to send, when a terminal attaches to the router, an assignment request message to the base station, the assignment request message including a radio link identifier for identifying a radio link to the router, and wherein said radio link identifieris allocated to the router, and wherein the router is configured to store identifiers received from the base station as a response to the assignment request message, the identifiers indicating a link layer address and LLA mapping.
 15. Router according to claim 14, wherein the router is configured to store a table wherein mapping of LLAs, RLIs, and LMs to the at least one terminal is listed.
 16. Router according to claim 14, wherein the router is equipped with connecting means to connect to the at least one terminal.
 17. Router according to claim 14, wherein the router comprises a mobile router.
 18. Router according to claim 14, wherein the router comprises a mobile terminal.
 19. A system for handling a connection to a terminal in a radio access network, the system comprising: assigning means for assigning a link layer address to at least one terminal; and identifying means for using a cell-specific radio link identifier at a radio interface for identifying a radio link to a router connectable to the at least one terminal. 